Broadcast since 1 May 1958 as China Central Television (CCTV), CMG has a total of 49 television channels as of February 2021, consisting of 26 free channels, 17 pay channels and 6 foreign channels, making CMG the world's largest number of TV channels operated by a single television network. All CMG channels are broadcasting around the world through satellite, cable and on Internet television. Those channels are listed below in sequence of launch day.
Television channels
Free public channels All channels below are using Mandarin Chinese, with some news-related programmes showing sign language on the bottom-left or bottom-right. NameFormatLaunch dateSloganNoteCCTV-1SD: PAL 576i 16:9 (extruded) HD: 1080i UHD: 2160p3 September 1958 (SD) 28 September 2009 (HD) -The first TV channel of People's Republic of China, renamed to China Central Television on 1 May 1978, defined as CCTV-1 during launching of CCTV-2, and renamed to CCTV General when launch of CCTV-13.CCTV-21 May 1973 (SD) 1 January 2014 (HD) (Finance Channel, See the Value)The first color TV channel of People's Republic of China, at the earlier test launch era, the programmes are related to education, later for economical.CCTV-31 January 1986 (SD) 28 September 2012 (HD) (Together for Laughter, Together for Light)CCTV-41 October 1992 (SD) 15 April 2015 (HD, Asian Edition)
5 February 2016 (HD, European Edition)
20 February 2017 (HD, American Edition) (Inheriting Chinese Civilization, Serving Global Chinese)Was general television for culture. Was having English and Cantonese programmes before 2006, channel signal split to 3 edition (Asian, European and American) in 2006, bilingual captions available since 2009 for dramas.CCTV-51 January 1995 (SD) 28 September 2012 (HD)May temporarily rename to Olympic channel during Olympic Games, before launch of CCTV-16CCTV-61 January 1996 (SD) 15 December 2012 (HD) (Watch Movies on TV)Owned by PDCCP, co-operate by China Film Group CorporationCCTV-730 November 1995 (SD) 1 January 2014 (HD) -CCTV-81 January 1996 (SD) 28 September 2012 (HD) -CCTV-91 January 2011 (SD) 1 January 2014 (HD) (Documenting the World)On 31 December 2016, the CCTV Documentary International has re-packaged to be CGTN DocumentaryCCTV-109 July 2001 (SD) 1 January 2014 (HD) (Knowledge Is Power)CCTV-119 July 2001 (SD) 1 September 2018 (HD) -CCTV-1212 May 2002 (SD) 1 January 2014 (HD) (Within Bounds, a World Exists)CCTV-131 May 2003 (SD) 20 November 2019 (HD) -CCTV-1428 December 2003 (SD) 1 January 2014 (HD)CCTV-1529 March 2004 (SD) 1 September 2018 (HD)CCTV-1623 August 2000 (Olympics Every Day)Co-operate by the office of IOC in Beijing, mostly air in HD and 4K UHD, SD edition only available in some local cable transmitters.CCTV-1728 December 2003 (SD) 1 January 2014 (HD) (Rural Revitalization, Moving Forward Together)CCTV-5+HD: 1080i1 January 2006 -Renamed to CCTV-HD in 2008, and renamed to CCTV-5+ in August 2013.CCTV-4K4K UHD: 2160p1 October 2018CCTV-8K8K UHD: 4320p24 January 2022Trial started on 1 February 2021.CCTV Home ShoppingHD: 1080i 16:928 December 2006 (SD) 23 September 2019 (HD)
Foreign channels
NameLanguageFormatLaunch dateSloganNoteCGTNEnglishSD: PAL 576i 16:9 (extruded) HD: 1080i20 September 1997 (SD) 1 September 2016 (HD)See the differenceFormer CCTV-9 before 26 April 2010, renamed to CGTN on 31 December 2016.CGTN EspañolSpanish1 October 2004 (SD) 11 April 2014 (HD)Split on 1 October 2007.CGTN FrançaisFrench (lit. Focus China)CGTN العربيةArabic25 July 2009 (SD) 18 April 2014 (HD)CGTN PусскийRussian10 September 2009 (SD) 18 April 2014 (HD) (lit. See the difference!)CGTN DocumentaryEnglish1 January 2011 (SD) 7 January 2014 (HD)See the Changes
Pay channels All channels below are using Mandarin Chinese. The previous 13 channels are owned by Central Digital Television Media Co., Ltd., their HD signals were launched on 23 September 2019, and their SD signals were shut down in 2020. The last 3 channels are owned by CND Films. NameFormatLaunch dateNoteTV GuideHD: 1080i 16:91 November 2004De facto free for some local cable transmitters.Storm Football1 January 2004Women's FashionHygiene and HealthyWas co-operate by SMG.The First Theater9 August 2004HBO programmes available in golden times.Storm TheaterStorm MusicNostalgia Theater1 November 2004Golf and Tennis1 January 2005Cultural FeaturesWorld Geography14 March 2005Billiards6 May 2012Weapon Technology8 May 2006Old StoriesSD: 576i 4:38 August 2005Discovery1 January 2007Middle Students4 May 2009
Overseas channels None of channels below are available for subscribers within mainland China. NameLanguageFormatLaunch dateNoteDaifuStandard Chinese and JapaneseSD: PAL 576i 16:9 (extruded) HD: 1080i27 May 1998 (SD) 1 June 2014 (HD)Japanese edition of CCTV-4, available in Sky PerfecTV!.CCTV EntertainmentStandard ChineseSD: PAL 576i 16:91 October 2004Overseas edition of CCTV-3.CCTV Chinese OperaOverseas edition of CCTV-11.CCTV-1 Hong Kong & Macau EditionStandard Chinese and CantoneseSD: PAL 576i 16:9 (pure) HD: 1080i1 March 2011 (SD) 29 May 2017 (HD)For both: Due to copyright and trademark concerns, all advertisements and some programmes of original CCTV-1 are censored, and replaced by local, mainly Cantonese-speaking, advertisements and other news programmes. Hong Kong Edition: Was transmitted by ATV before 1 April 2015, later de facto only available for some pay channel networks, such as now TV 541, until 23 May 2017 where RTHK took over the channel spectrum as RTHK33. Macau Edition: Transmitted by TDM, was using original CCTV-1 spectrum during 20 December 2016 through 29 May 2017.
Former channels
China 3D TV Test Channel - a television channel broadcasting various digital 3D television content. CCTV High Definition Test - The first HDTV channel in the Great China area, as well as the world's first Chinese-speaking HDTV channel, launched on 1 October 1999, closed date 2013 CCTV Security information - pay channel Universe Satellite Network GalaxySatellite (TM) plus an additional 10+ advanced integration satellite providers if possible
International broadcasts It is possible to receive channels CCTV-4 (Mandarin channel targeting an overseas Chinese audience), CGTN (English channel targeting an Foreigner audience), CGTN Spanish (in Spanish) and CGTN French (in French) outside China by using a Digital Video Broadcast signal (plus additional broadcast support together with Dolby Stereo, Dolby Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital Advanced Sound Quality Definition and Improvement System Support, technologized and developed by Dolby Laboratories, Datasat, and the SDDS for digital audio system supportments). CCTV has just recently switched from analog to DVB primarily due to better signal quality and the ability to charge for reception (about US$10 per year subscription). The overseas channels are widely available across many cable and satellite providers.
See also China Global Television Network China Network Television
References
External links